Tyrese Hunter Hits Layup as Time Expires, Longhorns Beat No. 9 Baylor
AUSTIN -- Badly needing a win after a 1-3 start in Big 12 play, things were hardly getting easier for the Texas Longhorns at home on Saturday, as they hosted the No. 9 Baylor Bears.
It literally took all 40 minutes, but Texas pulled off its best win of the season and did so in thrilling fashion.
After Baylor forward Jalen Bridges hit a game-trying triple with 5.1 seconds left, Texas guard Tyrese Hunter went the length of the court and hit a hanging layup as time expired to give the Longhorns a much-needed 75-73 win over the Bears.
"I'm proud of these guys," Hunter told ESPN. "We going through so much right now but we all sticking together."
© Scott Wachter, USA TODAY
Hunter led Texas (13-5, 2-3) with 21 points and three assists while Dylan Disu added 19 points. Max Abmas posted 15 points, five rebounds and seven assists.
Hunter's game-winner marked the third go-ahead shot Texas has hit this season in the final seven seconds or less. Abmas hit the other two in wins over Louisville and Cincinnati.
Baylor (14-4, 3-2) entered Saturday as the third top-10 team the Longhorns have faced this season. The Bears were led by freshman Ja'kobe Walter, who tallied a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds.
Both teams had some lights-out shooting in the first half, with the Longhorns showing particular urgency due to three early conference losses. But despite going 9 of 11 from deep in the first half, Texas only led 42-41 at halftime.
Baylor ended the game on a near eight-minute drought without a field goal until Bridges' rainbow triple tied the game. But that cold stretch proved to be the difference for the Bears, whose lack of offense in the final minutes gave a desperate Texas team a chance.
The Longhorns will look to build on the momentum of a top-10 win when they visit the No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday.
